Previously:

"So who did you book for the wedding?" Berga asked Luck, wisely changing the subject.

"The Jerry's boys."

"Oh, yeah. They were pretty good."

"I don't think I've heard them before."

"No, you were at Alveare that night. But you would've liked them. They play music you can dance to."

"That's good. I want to dance at my wedding."

"I thought you would."

Chapter 16: The Wedding

June 1, 1931.

It was the day of the wedding, and so far everything was going according to plan. The church was an Italian Franciscan style structure with an interior decorated in Neapolitan Baroque style. The main and side altars were made of marble. Behind and bove the main altar were fantastic murals of biblical scenes. All of Luck's and Charlie's guests had gathered in this beautiful church. Everyone who was expected to come had come. Unfortunately, Claire, Isaac, and Miria. Had RSVPed that they couldn't make it.

Charlie had learned that Claire was essentially the fourth Gandor brother. He had been taken in by their father and raised alongside them. They considered him family. Despite this they did not try to recruit him for their organization. Nor did they discourage him from becoming a freelance contract killer. Which was why he missed the wedding. Claire had sent a reply to their invitation saying that he wished he could come, but he was already booked solid until the end of June. Charlie wondered if there was some kind of turf war going on somewhere to keep him that busy.

Isaac and Miria had also sent their apologies because they couldn't come, but promised to send them a big present to make up for it.

Everyone who was there was shown to a seat in the pews by the Gandor Family men who were acting as ushers. Some of the guests started chatting with each other while they waited.

The wedding party was waiting for the priest to come take his place at the head of the procession. To Luck's annoyance, they still wouldn't let him see Charlie in her wedding dress yet. Firo and Berga were under orders to keep him facing forward without looking back.

"This is it!" Lia said, grinning.

"Are you nervous?" Ennis asked Charlie.

"Yes, but in a good way. I'm ready."

Keith offered Charlie his arm, and she took it, holding her bouquet in front of her with one hand.

"Good, because it's too late to return these dresses," Seina joked dryly.

The priest and the ministers joined them. The priest smiled at the wedding party and asked:

"Everybody ready?"

Inside the church, Kate, having received her cue to start, began playing Trumpet Voluntary by Jeremiah Clarke.

The priest and the ministers walked to the altar and took their places there. Then Luck entered, followed by Berga, followed by Firo. Kalia was next as maid of honor, and she was followed by Lia, Ennis, and Seina. Berga was doubling as the ring bearer, so next came the flower girl, the daughter of one of the Gandor brothers' cousins.

In that short space of time, Luck was beginning to feel nervous standing up in front of the altar with Berga and Firo, watching the others take their places. He wasn't sure why he was nervous, but he knew he definitely still wanted to to go through with this.

Then Charlie entered in all her glory, accompanied by Keith. Her dress was modest but stylish, and its satin fabric draped beautifully down her body. She was wearing Kalia's veil, a Juliet cap style veil made of tulle that flowed to the floor. She was an enchanting sight to behold.

When Luck set eyes on her, his nervousness vanished completely. He saw through the thin veil that Charlie was wearing a nervous, endearing smile as she made her way over to him. He smiled at her, and she blushed a little. It looked like she was trying not to grin. Luck was almost grinning himself.

Charlie stopped to stand opposite Luck, facing him, as Keith placed her hand in Luck's. Keith left them without a word and took his seat, but the corners of his mouth were softened as he watched them.

The priest began with rites and prayer. They all joined in singing the Gloria hymn.

To start off the Liturgy of the Word, the designated guests who had been assigned readings came up and carried out their roles. First, Molsa read from Genesis 2. Ronny read 1 Corinthians 13, which he got a kick out of—who else would as a "demon" to read at their wedding? Maiza did the responsorial psalm.

Everyone rose as the priest read Matthew 5: 1-12a. They all remained standing until the gospel was finished, then they took their seats again while the priest interpreted the gospel, giving a speech about marriage. He said that real happiness is not a fantasy of perpetual glee, but is found in life's ordinary mix of bitter and sweet, and that a man and wife should be ready to accept and love the bitter as well as the sweet that they share together.

Then came the time for the Rite of Marriage.

The priest looked at Luck and Charlie and said:

"Luck and Charlene, have you come here to enter into Marriage without coercion, freely and wholeheartedly?"

"Are you prepared, as you follow the path of Marriage, to love and honor each other fro as long as you both shall?"

"Are you prepared to accept children lovingly from God and to bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church?"

To these questions, Luck and Charlie responded:

"I am."

"Luck, do you take Charlene to be your lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"I do."

Luck smiled at Charlie, who was glowing with happiness.

"Charlene, do you take Luck for your lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"I do."

Charlie smiled up at Luck.

The priest acknowledged that they had declared their consent to be married, placed a blessing on them, and declared:

"What God joins together, let no one put asunder."

The priest asked for the rings, and Berga handed them over. The priest blessed the rings and sprinkled them with holy water. Luck and Charlie exchanged their rings.

Luck placed Charlie's wedding ring on her finger as he said:

"Charlie, receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

Charlie placed Luck's ring on his finger as she said:

"Luck, receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

The General Intercessions were said, and then the began the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Kate played Schubert's Ave Maria while Randy and Pezzo brought up the gifts of bread and wine while the church's donation basket was passed around. The priest prayed over the bread and wine to transform them into the Holy Eucharist.

They all recited the Lord's Prayer together, and the priest offered them peace and encouraged the rest of them to do the same. Hands shook all over as everyone turned to their neighbors to wish them peace.

Kate began playing Panis Angelicus for Holy Communion… But not many stood up to receive it. A lot of their guests either weren't Catholic or hadn't been to confession in a while. The priest didn't exactly look happy about it, but he kept his mouth shut on the matter.

Soon, it was time for the crowd favorite.

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Luck tried not to grin too much as he lifted Charlie's veil. She gazed lovingly at him with those blue eyes, also trying not to grin too much.

Charlie and Luck kissed, and there was an explosion of applause. There were some whistles and cheers that made Charlie blush.

Everyone looked happy for them. Randy and Pezzo were actually crying.

And then it was time for the final blessing:

"May you be blessed with Hope enough to keep sunshine in your love, and Fear enough to keep you holding hands in the dark; may God bless you with Unity enough to keep your roots entwined, and Separation enough to keep you reach for each other; may God bless you with Harmony enough to keep romance in your song, and Discord enough to keep you tuning your love so it becomes sweet music to all who may hear it."

The priest looked from Charlie and Luck to everyone else in the church.

"Go in peace."

"Thanks be to God."

The wedding party walked down the aisle in the reverse order of which they came in. Then Luck andCharlie waited just inside the church while everyone else went outside. When everyone had left, they moved to leave the church.

"Hold it!"

Kalia stopped then in the doorway of the church and took their picture with a box camera.

"Got it."

She moved out of the way, and Luck and Charlie continued on out. The rest of the wedding party and the guests had gathered around outside the church, and they showered the new husband and wife with handfuls of rice as they exited.

Charlie and Luck smiled and laughed and waved to everyone as they got into his car. Charlie made sure her wedding dress was safely tucked inside the car before Luck closed the door for her and hurried around to the driver's side. He waved again then ignited the engine and drove off with Charlie. The tin cans tied to the back of the car made a racket as they were dragged against the ground.

"Beautiful wedding," Molsa said, smiling.

"Beautiful bride," Ronny said objectively.

"Now let's get to the reception!" Randy said, drying his eyes.

Pezzo blew his nose.

"Yeah! Let's cut that cake."

"That's the bride and groom's job."

Maiza smiled wryly.

As soon as they were out of sight of the others, Luck pulled over and parked. He turned to face Charlie, and found she'd had the same idea as him when she pressed her lips to his and threw her arms around him. Luck held her back and kissed her. Neither one of them could wait. That polite kiss in church hadn't been enough. It had only sparked off a need for more.

Tap-tap-tap!

Someone rapped on the half-open window, and they pulled apart just enough to look and see what the source of the sound was.

It was a policeman. He was leaning down looking through the window at them with a frown on his face.

Charlie turned completely red in the face when she realized they had an audience. Luck was glad he hand't tried to get her clothes off.

"Couldn't wait to get to your room, huh? Don't you two realize you're still in public?"

"Sorry, officer," Luck said with a straight face. "We'll find someplace more private."

The policeman stood there with his arms crossed, watching as Luck started the car again and pulled back onto the street.

After a few minutes, Luck started to laugh.

"It's not funny."

Charlie was still red-faced. But as Luck continued to laugh, she broke down and joined him.

"I can't believe he saw us!" she said.

"Well, we were right by the sidewalk. It's probably a good thing he stopped us. We're already going to be late for the reception."